In 2016, David Yurman Women's Soars, Men's Stumbles

Ah, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

It is 2016, and the women's collections from David Yurman are imaginative, inspired, iconic, and the men's are... well, they are there. Here are some visuals to help:

clockwise from top left: women's Chatelaine ring,
women's Solari bracelets and earrings,
men's Maritime Shackle ring,
men's Forged Carbon tag

Image Credit: David Yurman

It's been a good year for the David Yurman women's collections. Early in 2016, the Chatelaine Collection, named and inspired by "the mistress of the Chateau," swept onto the scene with offerings equal parts elegant and vivacious. This summer, the collection will expand to include additional offerings, including this jaw-droppingly glamorous cocktail ring (a variation of which is also pictured above):

Image Credit: David Yurman

Then there is the equally winning Solari Collection, whose "celestial radiance" (and inspiration) resulted in designs balanced and timeless. (If only the same could be said of the painfully-Photoshopped promotional images featuring Kate Moss, but I do digress.) When it comes down to it, these two collections represent David Yurman at its paradoxical best--spirited but graceful, bold but effortlessly cool.

Enter the men's collections. Ironically, what is new to the scene are a bunch of old designs. Petrvs is back in silver and gold, but the motifs are unchanged: horse, scarab, bee, and lion. Also, Naturals is back but so far in "gator" (silver textured to resemble alligator skin) only. The pieces that are "new new" (i.e., that are fresh designs) are, well, not so fresh, I'm afraid.

Let's start with that Forged Carbon tag from the collage at the beginning of this post. Yes, that. What is there to say, really? They took an extant design and poured screaming red resin in the cracks. Not cute or inspired.

Not inspired? That makes for an easy segue into my next item for discussion--that Maritime Shackle ring in gold. Perhaps the design looks vaguely familiar? Well, it should. It's a complete rip on a Miansai classic: the U-Cuff Ring:

left: Miansai's U-Cuff Ring, right: David Yurman's Shackle Ring

I think what's most heartbreaking here is that part of David Yurman's brand identity rests on its innovative spirit. Unlike Tiffany & Co. and Chopard, DY breaks with tradition and experiments. Sure, most of its designs involve some cable aspect, but this is not a company afraid to try new things. But evidently, its latest new thing is ripping off other designers.

Insiders' are promising more stun in store from the fall-winter women's collections, and sadly, more "eh" in store from the men's. We shall see. In the meantime, let's stay cool for the summer in Chatelaine and Solari. DYguy out.